Bret Bielema joins SEC Nation at championship

719 days ago

SEC Staff

Photo: ESPN Images

SEC Network is providing extensive on-site coverage of the SEC Football Championship on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 3-4 including two sets, three live shows and a special guest analyst, Arkansas Head Coach Bret Bielema, joining the desk.

In addition to the 12-hours of live programming in Atlanta, the network is debuting an original features show celebrating 25 Years of the SEC Championship this week and also capping the weekend with an SEC Now: Bowl Special on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

Highlights of SEC Network's Programming Plans:

Bielema's Arkansas football team played both Alabama and Florida this season. He will relay his insights and learnings from both of those experiences during his guest appearance on SEC Nation on Saturday, Dec. 3

The two day, multi-set operation includes The Paul Finebaum Show, SEC Now and SEC Nation live from SEC FanFare on Friday and Saturday, as well as a second set on the field for pre- and post-game shows. In previous years, players and coaches have joined the SEC Network crew immediately following the game

SEC Now host Dari Nowkhah will be joined by analysts Chris Doering, Booger McFarland, Greg McElroy, Matt Stinchcomb and Jordan Rodgers in Atlanta. Ryan McGee will also join the SEC Network shows throughout the weekend

Three of SEC Network's current football analyst were SEC Football Championship MVPs: McElroy (Alabama: 2009), Tebow (Florida: 2008) and Greene (Georgia: 2002); six SEC Network analysts have played in a total of 11 SEC Championship games. Palmer (Florida, 2000) and Spears join the list (LSU: 2001, 03). Spears's LSU team went onto win the National Championship following their 2003 appearance. Doering tops the list with the most appearances (Florida: 1992, 93, 94, 95) and the most wins (1993, 94, 95).

Rodgers, SEC Network's newest college football analyst, is making his first trip to SEC Championship for the network after providing in-studio coverage on Wednesdays and Thursdays this season, as well as calling five games

WatchESPN and the ESPN app are set to stream the coaches press conferences on Friday and the postgame press conferences on Saturday via the SEC Network + streaming channel

25 Years of SEC Championship debuts this week and is an exclusive compilation of the greatest moments, players and coaches to play in the game. The show airs several times throughout the week

A special SEC Film Room will air in its regular timeslot (Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.) featuring sit-downs with both head coach Nick Saban and Jim McElwain

ESPN Films 2011 documentary on the very first SEC Championship game (SEC Storied: The Play That Changed College Football) is set to air on Friday at 10 p.m. in the lead-up to the 25th game

SEC Now: Bowl Special closes out the weekend with previews surrounding SEC team matchups in 2016 bowl games